Pro-lifers have long positioned themselves as a defender of life, particularly when it comes to protecting unborn children. But for those observing from the outside, it’s hard not to wonder: Does this commitment to life extend beyond birth? Do pro-lifers care about the welfare of children once they are born, especially when so many of the policies they support fail to uplift struggling families?
This isn’t an attack but a necessary question. If the goal is to protect life, shouldn’t that care extend to ensuring children grow up in safe, healthy environments?
When we talk about pro-lifers, the conversation tends to focus almost exclusively on stopping abortions. Pro-life advocates work tirelessly to defund organizations like Planned Parenthood, block access to abortion services, and overturn landmark rulings like Roe v. Wade. For many, it’s all about saving the life of the unborn child.
But the reality is once that child is born, many of those same advocates are quiet about the struggles of the families raising them. This ignores the reality that raising a child, especially in today’s economy, requires more than bringing them into the world. Do these children have access to healthcare? Can their parents afford childcare or take time off after giving birth? The U.S. has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates among developed nations, according to the Commonwealth Fund, and many pro-life advocates oppose healthcare policies that could improve these statistics.
In the Black community, these issues are even more serious. We face higher rates of infant mortality and less access to quality healthcare and are often left out of economic conversations that focus on “trickle-down” policies.
The Centers for Disease Control reported that in 2021, infant mortality continued to vary by race: Infants of Black women had the highest mortality rate (10.55), followed by infants of Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and American Indian or Alaska Native (7.76 and 7.46, respectively), Hispanic (4.79), White (4.36), and Asian (3.69) women.
And regarding access to healthcare, Blacks are not only more apt to be uninsured, but according to the National Institutes of Health, Blacks are less likely to receive a diverse range of procedures, ranging from high-technology interventions to basic diagnostic and treatment procedures and they experience poorer quality medical care than whites.
If pro-lifers are truly concerned about the lives of children, we should expect them to support measures like universal healthcare, affordable childcare, paid family leave, and mental health services. These programs directly impact the well-being of both children and their parents.
Take paid maternity leave, for example. The U.S. is one of the few developed nations that doesn’t guarantee paid family leave, leaving new mothers scrambling to return to work too soon after giving birth. This impacts not only the health of the mother but also the newborn’s development. A mother’s physical recovery and a baby’s early bonding experiences are crucial during the first few months of life.
Affordable childcare is another critical issue. For single mothers, particularly in Black and low-income communities, the cost of childcare can take up a huge portion of their income. In 2024, 47% of parents paid more than $1,500 a month for child care, or more than $18,000 a year, according to <a href=’http://Care.com’s’>Care.com’s Cost of Care Report. These costs include nannies, daycare centers, babysitting, and sending their child to one of these facilities.
I can go on and on, but hopefully, you understand where I’m coming from. I don’t blame anyone for being at a crossroads with starting a family these days. Saving a life doesn’t end at childbirth!
